


The Way

by dreyars



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, all fluff, this is my formal apology for the unlove challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-25
Updated: 2014-09-25
Packaged: 2018-02-18 18:44:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2358326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreyars/pseuds/dreyars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How do you know he loves you?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Way

Everybody always thinks of relationships as some sort of progression.  You meet, you get to know one another, you date, you get engaged or you break up.  Then married. Maybe kids.  Eventually death, or divorce.  But when you’re really looking at it from the inside, it’s not that much different day to day.  Like oh, yay, now we have this official title that says we’re together, or we’ve got some new little runt turning our party of two into a social calamity of three.  But today isn’t so different from yesterday, and tomorrow won’t be that different from today.  You’ll still be here, and I’ll still be with you.  And that’s all that really matters I guess.

I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m comfortable with you, and I like that you’re starting to get comfortable with me too.  I totally didn’t expect you to actually move in with me last year.  I said it as kind of a joke, and you were so enthusiastic (and you never get enthusiastic about anything), that I couldn’t just shoot you down.  Everyone I know was so surprised.  I guess they never saw me settling in with anybody, least of all you.  I guess my friends don’t really think we go all that well together.  They’re constantly questioning me and my intentions, but I don’t even care.

You’re fucking perfect and I’m thankful for every day that I get to hear your voice in my ear in the morning.

You’re perfect and an idiot and I love you.

We’ve been together for a while now.  From my last few months in high school, through all four years of college.  You moved in during my last year, and even though you’ve never said it, but I know you love me too.

How?

Well then, let me tell you, gorgeous.

It’s the way I catch you laughing at a joke of mine that isn’t even funny, the way your mouth curls up at the corners and your nostrils flare and your eyes water as you try to bite back a laugh because you know it isn’t funny but you can’t suppress the tickling feeling in your throat.

It’s the way you gets irrationally choked up at the stupidest things, like that picture of the golden retriever with the egg in its mouth, because you just thinks it’s so precious (but you’d never admit it to anyone).  And the way you give me a hug for showing you the picture.

It’s the way you vehemently refused when I suggested you get a golden of your own, one to keep you company when your parents go out of town and I learned that the only reason you don’t want a pet is because you thinks you’re incompetent and would probably kill it.

It’s how you tried to hide the happy tears when I got you a golden puppy when we started living together three years later and how you roll your eyes when I say you picked this little girl because her eyes are the same gold as yours.

It’s the way you used to call me in the middle of the night, voice wired and sharp. 

It’s the way I don’t find out until the first month we’re living together that you always called me when there were thunderstorms in Miyagi.

It’s the way you always grumble about how my hair looks like a rat’s nest and that it’s never presentable enough to go see your mother, yet you still run your fingers through it at night.

It’s the way your whole face turns red, from your neck to your forehead, the first time I called you Kei.

It’s the way you still turn pink when I call you Kei.

And the way you’ve let me see you exposed, bare, your emotions raw and naked and completely open in a way that I can’t imagine you exposing yourself to anyone.

It’s the ways I know you love me.

You don’t have to say it.

You don’t ever have to say it if you can’t make your mind agree with your heart, but I know.

And I’ll tell you over and over again until you understand.

‘I love you’ in the morning before the sun starts shining through the curtains, when the hair at the back of your neck is curling up from the pillow and tickling my nose.  I’m not sure if you can even hear me, if you’re even awake, but I’ll say it anyways.

‘I love you’ at breakfast, a mug between your hands and your glasses pushed up into your hair so that you can wipe the sleep out of your eyes.  You say I’m stupid and that you haven’t brushed your teeth yet when I kiss you against the counter, your tongue still tasting like sleep and bitter coffee.

‘I love you’ as I walk out the door, watching you towel off your hair and nod, saying you’ll be back late from campus that night.

‘I love you’ when I call you to say I’m on my way home from work, squished between a smelly old man and a girl with too much makeup and perfume.  You click your tongue and hang up, saying you’re still in the library and will be home by eight.

‘I love you’ as soon as you walk in the door, dropping your book bag with a heavy thump on the tacky linoleum.  You graciously accept a hug and a kiss before indicating that you’re hungry and walking to the kitchen.

‘I love you’ while we’re sitting down to dinner, and you don’t even dignify that with a response greater than a roll of the eyes and another forkful shoved in your mouth.  It’s around this time that I start to realize you don’t believe it, so I say it again.

‘I love you’ as we’re pulling back the covers, sliding into the warmth and comfort of a too plush bed.  You like it soft though, so I gladly compromised as long as you’re sleeping beside me every night.

‘I love you’ as I listen to your breathing even out, your back pressed against my chest and our hands folded together near your face.  I feel you shift as you take in a sharp breath, and I realize that maybe you weren’t as asleep as I thought…

“Tetsurou.” Your voice calls out to me in the darkness, only a small light from the streetlamp outside falling over our hips pressed against each other under the covers.

“Kei.”  My face is near the back of your neck, and I can feel it start to burn and I know you’re blushing, even though I can’t see your face.

“That’s the eighth time you’ve said that today.”

I pull you in a little bit tighter, so my lips are next to your ear. “Wanna make it a perfect ten?”

“Tetsurou-”

“I love you.”  A kiss behind your ear that makes you shiver and shift, turning over to squint at me through the darkness.  A second one to the center of your forehead that squinches up your entire face, an expression I know well as one that tries to fake your discomfort.  “I. Love. You.”

You frown, well actually it’s more of a pout, and try to wiggle your way out of my arms, but you settle down when you realize I’m not going to let you go anywhere.  “Why?”

“Do I really need a reason why?  I think you’re great, and I just want you to know it.”

This time, it’s an actual frown.  One that makes you turn your face away.

“Does it make you uncomfortable that I say it all the time?”

“No, it’s just…”

“Not used to it?”

“Yeah.” You shift and dip your head under my chin, hiding your face from me.  That’s one thing I’ve noticed.  It’s easier for you to have serious or emotional conversations when I can’t see your face, so I don’t try to get you to come out. “And I feel bad, because I can’t bring myself to say it back to you.”

“You don’t have to.”  I run my fingers through the back of your hair, letting the short strands curl around my fingers like little gold rings.  I wonder what it would look like if you ever let it grow out.  “I know you do, so you don’t ever have to say it.”

One of your hands gripping my side squeezes tight, and I can feel your nails digging into my skin through my shirt.  Your eyelashes are fluttering along the side of my neck as you nod your head, and you don’t say anything else.

“Kei.”

A grumbling sound rises from your throat as you smooth out the cloth that you just crumpled, your fingers light and tracing soothing patterns along the side of my body.

“I love you.”

Your hands slip to my back so that you can pull yourself closer, and a leg slips between mine as you let out a big, shuddering sigh that I can’t place as upset or happy until you open your lips.  “Thank you.”

You fall asleep quickly after that, your head pressed into my chest and long legs nearly falling off the edge of the bed as you stretch and relax against me.

It’s things like this.  These moments that happen every once in a while.  They’re different every time, but it shows me you still haven’t changed, despite our long time together.  And that’s what I like the best.  You’re still the same bratty, insecure, loving kid that rolls his eyes at my shitty jokes but still comes back for more day after day. 

It’s the way your hands press into my back and cling on for dear life in the middle of the night and it’s the way I hear my name roll off your tongue when you’re asleep. 

It’s the way you give me those stupid secret smiles and I can tell you’re about to do something either really shitty or sexy as hell.

It’s the way I don’t mind smelling your godawful morning breath puffing against my face when you fell asleep with allergies and you couldn’t close your mouth all night.

It’s the way you called me every day, twice a day, when I had to go away for a week and a half because my grandma died, just to make sure I was still okay.

It’s the way you touch me with these feather light presses of your fingertips every time you walk past, as if you’re making sure I’m still here.

It’s everything.  Everything about you and everything about our relationship.  I love it all.  And it’s the way I know that we were made to be perfect for each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I saw someone asking for fluff in the kurotsuki tag on tumblr and I was like hell yeah, I forgot that I was supposed to do that to make up for I Unlove You, so I did that shit. IDK. I wrote this really fast because I was inspired and just, here you go. Quick short KuroTsuki for all your fluff needs.


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